


Chance Meeting in the Garden

by Idiotgangleader



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 04:22:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11005884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idiotgangleader/pseuds/Idiotgangleader
Summary: A young woman raised by a respectable family meets a certain assassin from London's criminal underworld. What will come of it?





	1. The Ball

The bumps along the road jostled the carriage around as it traveled down the scenic driveway. You sighed as you looked out the window as saw the fields of the estate and the lovely night sky. The Lord of this estate probably had the gold that would rival Queen Victoria herself, which was why you were attending yet _another_ lavish ball. Your fan was folded neatly in your lap as you stared longingly out the window. The carriage ride was most likely going to be the most excited thing about this night. The lord of this estate was extremely affluent and held a place in Parliament, certainly someone a family such as your own would want to make friends with. He also had a son that was only slightly older than you and had yet to find himself a wife. It was the perfect opportunity for you and your family to increase your social standing amongst the noble class. While your family may not be of noble blood, your father was a very wealthy and successful businessman that had made quite a lot of friends in the last few decades. As a result, you were blessed with a life of luxury that most non noble women could only dream of.

But you dreamed of other things, things that would be seem as disgraceful for a lady such as yourself to dream about. You resented this life that was full of parties and elegance, and courtship. You hated how you were expected to act delicate and refined. You hated how no matter how much you studied art, literature, language, and arithmetic, all you were ever going to be was someone’s trophy wife. This privileged, yet boring dull life was the only one that you were ever going to know, and you resented every part of it.

Much to your disdain, the carriage came to a stop in from of the enormous mansion. It wasn’t long before the footman opened the door and led out your mother and father and then yourself. As usual, all the other invited guests were arriving and some had already begun socializing. Opening your fan, you began to gracefully walk down the carpet behind your parents, trying your best to look content. When you approached the entrance to the mansion, the steward announced your family’s arrival, like he did everyone else’s. Slowly, you began walking down the staircase to the main hall, which were already filled nobles and gentry with elaborate dresses and perfectly tailored suits. Once you arrived at the bottom of the staircase, your father turned to you.

“Your mother and I are going to go and great the Lord of the estate. In the meantime, you know how you are expected to behave, (Y/N).”

The look your father gave you was one of clear warning. It wasn’t exactly a secret that you hated going to these balls and more than once in your life, that disdain showed quite publicly; one time in the way of slapping an Earl’s son across the cheek for placing his hands where he shouldn’t have during a waltz. You were _harshly_ reprimanded for that one...

“Yes, father.”

You tried to make your voice sound as convincing as possible, but you still saw the look of skepticism in his eyes before he walked away with your mother in arm into the crowd of people.

You sighed as you looked around aimlessly for the nearest wall that you could lean against for the majority of the party and hopefully avoid any potential suitors. Spotting a secluded spot near a tapestry, you walked over and began absentmindedly fanning yourself, desperately trying to not draw attention to yourself. Suddenly, the mansion’s orchestra picked up and all the guests gathered on the dance floor for a waltz. The last thing that you wanted was to dance with one of these arrogant, entitled dandies; so you tried to sink yourself deeper into the wall. As you looked around and tried to think of something to get yourself out of this completely boring and excruciating situation, an idea popped into your head. If you slipped away from the party just for a little while, surely no one would notice, right? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time you slipped away and didn’t get caught. But this was different. Now you were at marrying age, and your parents were actively trying to find you a husband. Surely they would notice if you ran off. The question was: did you care?

Sure you would get a scolding if they came back and didn’t find you, but as long as you showed up eventually and came up with a valid excuse, you really had nothing to worry about. Seeing a doorway just a little ways away, you slowly began walking towards it. Several men began to politely ask for a dance but you respectfully turning them down, stating that you felt ill and needed some air. Once you got to the door, you were elated to see that it leads out to the gardens. Perfect, just what you were hoping for. You carefully stepped outside and allowed a pleasant smile to grace your face once you saw how beautiful it was. It was perfectly lit with lanterns and had a small pond that was filled with beautiful lilies. A much better atmosphere than that suffocating party, but you were sure that this was off limits to guests. Oh well, if anyone asks you can always say that you were just feeling ill; which wasn’t a complete and total lie.

Sitting down on one of the benches, you took a deep breath and enjoyed the night air. Looking up to the stars and admiring how clear they looked on this night. As you were looking up, you noticed something odd on one of the balconies. You squinted your eyes and you saw what you thought was a person climbing up the balcony. Standing up, you walked closer to get a better look. Low and behold, it was a person, a man wearing a heavy leather coat and a distinguishable looking top hat. You watched in awe as he pulled himself over the balcony and walked towards one of the second floor windows, shaking it and what looked like attempting to open it.

“Blast!” he growled as he looked around.

Suddenly, he turned around and immediately shifted his gaze to you. His expression was shocked and nervous but had an odd serenity. As if he was contemplating something. Without warning, he threw himself over the balcony and landed perfectly on the pavement in front of you. The stunt took you aback; you had no idea that people outside the circus were capable of such agility. Pulling himself to his feet, he stood before you with that same contemplating expression on his face. It was then that you had the opportunity to look at him properly.

He was young, very young. You would have to put his age at only slight older than you, perhaps twenty years? Despite his rugged appearance, his features were quite handsome. He had some light stubble that covered his chiseled jaw line and hazel eyes that bore into you intensely like the hottest of fires. There were a few scares on his face, one over his eyebrow and the other on his cheek, but that didn’t take away from his overall appearance in the slightest.

It was then that you realized that by his rugged appearance and attire that he most likely didn’t belong here. And here you were, alone with him, where you weren’t supposed to be, where he could do anything he wanted to you and no one would know.

“I promise you, darling. I mean you no harm.”

His voice was just as captivating as his face. It was velvety and smooth, and he spoke with a calm confidence that you thought he must do this on some sort of regular basis. But what exactly that was, you weren’t sure if you wanted to know. You do nothing but stand completely still and silent before him as you tried to think of something to say or do that would get you out of this potentially dangerous situation, but he spoke first.

“If I had to venture a guess, I would say that you don’t belong out here, do you?”

You fumbled for words, any words to say to this strange man, but silence was the only thing that escaped your lips. However, he seemed amused by your lack of response.

“Fret not, love. I am no bouncer. If you’d like, I can escort you back inside before anyone notices you are gone.”

With that, he began taking off his leather coat and top hat, revealing a clean white shirt and distinguished green vest. He could actually pass for a gentleman.

“Y-You aren’t one of the guests. Who are you? And why were you on the balcony?”

He smiled at you before bowing slightly and taking your hand in his own. They were calloused and rough, certainly not a well bred gentleman’s hand. When he brought your hand to his lips, his eyes never left yours and you felt a light blush creep its way onto your cheeks.

“Jacob Frye, milady.”

(Y/N) (L/N).” You whispered nervously as you gently pulled your hand back from him.

He let out an amused chuckle at your wariness; it sent shivers down your spine, but also peaked your curiosity. You watched him intently when he let out a sigh.

“I’ve already told you, I mean you no harm. If I did, we would not be having this conversation.”

Your heart fluttered a little bit when you realized that he was right. There was no one around, if he wanted to harm you or taken you hostage, he would have done so already. But that didn’t make him any less suspicious, or potentially dangerous.

“Then, what is it that you want?”

He quickly looked to the doorway behind you and then back at you.

“I need to get inside without being noticed. And from the looks of things, it seems that you do as well. Perhaps we can be of assistance to each other.”

You pondered his offer carefully. While it was very true that you needed a way to get back into the ball without being seen, this man could be dangerous. He didn’t look like an evil man. But still, there was something about him that seemed off, and you couldn’t exactly put your finger on what that was. Still, this man obviously had no in intent with you, and you needed to get back into the ball or face some serious consequences later.

“Alright, I’ll go with you.”

He smiled gently at you before turning and offering you the crook of his elbow in a very gentlemanly type manner. Despite his semi rugged appearance and his calloused hands, it was obvious that he was at least somewhat educated. Cautiously, you took his arm and walked slowly with him back the way you came. Once you came to the door, you poked your head out to make sure the coast was clear. Seeing that it was, the two of you carefully slipped into the ballroom. You began walking slowly towards the dance floor when you suddenly heard footsteps behind you.

“Oi! What are you two doing?!”

You turned your heard sharply to see a guard walking quickly towards you. Your stomach started doing flip flops as he came closer and you thought for sure that you were dead. You looked at the man, Jacob, and was surprised to see him remain perfectly calm.

“The young lady was feeling ill; I took her out to get some fresh air. My apologies, sir.”

The guard looked at Jacob suspiciously for a moment before nodding his head once in acknowledgement.

“Carry on, sir.”

You watched carefully as the guard turned on his heel and walked back to his post. Turning back to Jacob, you saw a small smile grace his lips before he turned back to you. You had to admit, you felt anxious when his gaze was upon you, and not for reasons that involved your safety.

“It seems love, that are business must come to a close. I thank you for being of assistance. But before we depart I would like to ask one small favor from you.” He looked down before taking your hand in his and placing another kiss to the back of your hand.

What else did he want of you? He already had what he wanted; he got into this godforsaken ball. What could he want with you now?

“What kind of favor?” You asked cautiously as you eyed him intently.

Your defensive reaction seemed to have amused him as he immediately snickered at your response. What the bloody hell was it with this man? However, when his eyes looked up to meet yours, they weren’t mocking in the slightest; they were gentle and sincere.

“May I have one dance?”

Did you just hear what you thought you did? Your eyes widened as you studied his face closely, looking for any sign that he was joking or mocking you; there was none. Still, you couldn’t believe it. You knew nothing about this man, absolutely nothing at all other than that he required entrance to this ball via sneaking in and that he most likely was not someone that a lady such as yourself should associate with. But that’s what drew you to him; he wasn’t pompous like the rest of the “gentlemen” that you were forced to associate with. His aura was mysterious, alluring, and almost thrilling; and you wanted more of it.

Looking into his eyes, you nodded your head carefully as you offered him your free hand so that he could lead you on to the dance floor. He smiled at you before taking your hand and walking with you to the center of the room. You very carefully place your hand on his shoulder while he placed his hand on your waist and held your other hand in his free one. All the while, his eyes never left yours; it was as if you were trapped in his gaze. When the waltz began, he stepped carefully and gently, much unlike many other nobles who just whipped a lady around roughly when they lead a dance. It was very obvious that he wasn’t a common peasant, but he also didn’t seem like someone who was raised among the nobility. Just who exactly was this man?

“Just who are you, Mr. Frye?”

Head lead you into a turn before smiling at your question.

“Someone you would not believe if I answered that question.” He had a sly smirk on his face as he avoided the question, but it left you pressing for more.

“Oh? And why is that?” you replied curtly as you kept your eyes locked on his. However, this didn’t seem to faze him at all. In fact, it only widened the smirk on his face.

“It would demean a lady such as yourself to be in the presence of someone like me.” He snickered as he led you into another turn.

At this, you rolled your eyes at his and flashed him an annoyed frown.

“Yes, I’m pretty sure I have already figured that out.”

This time, his eyes glinted with a playful hint of teasing and mischief. Without warning, he began leaning his head forward so that his lips were next to your ear. You could feel his hot breath on your skin and a shudder quickly traveled down your spine as your heart began to race uncontrollably.

“Yet here you are, dancing with me when you know very well that you are not supposed to. After I found you wandering in a place you shouldn’t have been. Is looking for trouble a hobby of yours?”

For a moment, you had absolutely no idea what to say in response. Mostly because he was completely correct. Why were you dancing with him? Yet, you certainly wouldn’t allow him to tease you like this. Not at all.

“Are you saying that you wish for me to leave you here?” you asked pointedly as you loosed your hold on his shoulder to emphasize your point.

Once you said that, he pouted in a rather adorable way and tightened his hold on your hand.

“Not at all. Just pointing out that unlike most ladies, you aren’t afraid to bend the rules a little. A quality I find quite interesting, truth be told.”

Not a few seconds after he finished his statement, the waltz ended as he released his grip on you before looking at you apologetically.

“I must apologize, Miss (Y/N), but I must be off. Perhaps I shall run into you again.” With that, he quickly placed a kiss on your hand and disappeared into the crowd in almost supernatural like way.

You looked around desperately to see where he went but found absolutely nothing. It saddened your heart for him to disappear like that but you figured you should have expected it. It was quite obvious that he had ulterior motives for being at that ball that you didn’t quite understand and that he wasn’t supposed to be there. Yet, you wished that there was a way you could find him or just see him again. You cursed yourself once you caught yourself thinking that. You were a lady, it was not becoming of you to have your mind wander over men that were beneath your status; but you couldn’t help it. Deciding to give up searching for him, your heart sank as you went back to your wall where you had previously hid and waited for this dreadful ball to be over.

Luckily, it wasn’t long before your parents came and found you to let you know that the carriage was ready to take you home. You nodded your head before following them outside to the carriage where the footman escorted you in for the long ride home. Per usual, the ride back was nothing but lectures about your behavior. They questioned where you were and who you danced with, to which you replied that you simply forgot his name. You mother scolded you for being so absentminded and your father merely rolled his eyes. You swore they were just relieved that this was all the trouble you got into at the ball. If only they knew.

Once the carriage arrived back at your family’s estate, you quickly went up to your room to begin getting undressed. The maid helped you to remove your corset before leaving you to your privacy to undress yourself fully. You were about to take down your hair when you reached into your handbag to grab a comb. However, instead of feeling a comb, you felt something else. Grasping your hand around it, you slowly pulled it out and immediately your eyes widened in shock.

It was a flower that you recognized from the garden back at the ball, and tied around it in red ribbon as a piece of parchment. Your heart began to race as you quickly untied the ribbon and opened the folded paper.

 

_Miss (Y/N),_

_I must apologize for my sudden departure at the ball. It was very ungentlemanly of me. May this (Favorite Flower) serve as my apology. I promise that we will meet again, and I certainly look forward to that time._

_Sincerely,_

_J.F._

When did he? No matter. You held the piece of paper to your chest as you felt your stomach flutter in happiness. You would certainly look forward to seeing him again as well. Perhaps you would offer him another dance.


	2. The Streets of London

A floorboard creaked under your feet and you froze immediately as you cupped your hand around the small candle in your hand. It was late at night, everyone in the house should be asleep by now, but sometimes Gerald, the butler, took some nighttime strolls and the absolute last thing that you needed was for him to catch you trying to sneak out at this time of night. When you didn’t hear anything move about in the house, you stepped carefully over the noisy floorboard and made your way towards the door. Using the fire from the candle, you lit a small lantern that Gerald always kept by the door for night outings. Usually you couldn’t stand the man and how he was always trying to keep you from doing any little thing on your own. However, this time you were grateful to him. Not that he would ever know. After blowing out the candle, you took the lantern and slowly opened the door before walking off into the night.

It was almost unspeakable for a lady of your status to be wandering around the streets of London at this hour. The only ladies who were out and about during the wee hours of the morning were fallen women who sold their bodies to lonely and desperate men. If you were to be seen and recognized by anyone while you were out this late, it would cause irreparable damage to your family’s reputation. You would almost certainly be cut off and cast out, perhaps even sent to a nunnery. But you didn’t care. All you cared about was the person that you were going to meet tonight, and nothing else.

Excitement and anticipation filled you up as you made your way to the usual meeting place, a pub in Whitechapel. Usually, pubs were the last place a lady would want to be seen; especially a lady alone at night. However, this pub was owned by your “friend’s” associates and you were assured time and time again that it was the safest place for you to be in London during the night. Luckily, the pub was within walking distance from your family’s home and you didn’t have to worry yourself with the tasks of getting the horse and carriage. Such noise would surely wake up your parents, Gerald, or some of the other staff. Once you walked around a corner, the light and usual commotion coming from the pub came into view and you smiled happily. Increasing your pace, you hastily made your way towards the entrance.

Suddenly, you felt someone grab your waist from behind and pull you sharply against them. Your first instinct was to scream but a calloused hand covered your mouth. You struggled as best you could until you heard a familiar chuckle.

“Easy there, love. Wouldn’t want to make a scene would you?”

Jacob removed his hand from your mouth and released his grip on you as you let out a held in sigh of relief. Quickly, you turned around to face him and give him the darkest glare that you could muster.

“Now that look doesn’t suit you at all.” He said smugly as he traced one of his fingers over your cheek.

You sighed and continued to glare at him, fighting back the urge to brush his hand away. You loved him dearly, but his antics sometimes were annoying at best. Looking back to the night the two of you met at the ball a few months ago, you never would have guessed that you would end up sneaking out in the middle of the night to see him. Of course, you soon found out that Jacob was also perfectly content in sneaking _in_ to your room at night but you thought that was too much of a risk. At least, that’s the excuse you gave him. In truth, you just wanted an excuse to get out of the house and do something exciting on your own for once. But you were pretty sure he figured that out on his own.

“Do you have to try and give me a heart attack _every_ time I come to see you?” You asked with exaggerated annoyance. You weren’t really angry with him, not at all. In fact, you found his childish antics quite adorable. You never would have known from the suave and savvy man that you encountered in the garden that night, but it drew you in all the same. Alas, you had fallen in love with the loveable rogue that was Jacob Frye. And absolutely no one could know about it.

“Just reminding you to be on your guard. After all, it’s dangerous for a lovely lady such as yourself to wander the streets at night.” He teased before gently pushing you up against the wall and pressing a form kiss to your lips that made your heart race in your chest.

“Not that I would ever allow any harm to come to you.” He whispered when he finally pulled away and intertwined his fingers with your own.

You hummed contently and dropped your forehead to rest against his shoulder when a sudden realization hit you. Jolting your head up, you looked at him seriously.

“Are you saying that you’ve been following me from my home when I sneak out at night?”

Anger started to boil into your chest as you glared at him. You had been supervised your entire life. Never once allowed to do even the simplest thing for yourself. Now he was following you as well? It didn’t matter that he was trying to keep you _safe_. You just wanted some freedom, just a little.

The angry look on your face seemed to have an effect on him as he immediately stared at you nervously and shifted back to give you some space.

“I-I was just trying to…” He muttered nervously as he shifted back and forth on his heels.

You weren’t having any of that. All you wanted was for someone that didn’t treat you like some delicate little flower that would wilt at any moment. You thought you found that in Jacob, but it turned out that he was just as bad as the rest of them. Even if it was for different reasons.

“Trying to do what?! Protect me? Well, I’m sick of being looked after and protected! I thought maybe you would be different, but I was wrong!”

Jacob shook his head furiously and reached over to try and take your hand but you pulled it away and turned your back on him before running off away from him.

“(Y/N)! Come back!”

“Don’t you dare try and follow me!” you yelled back to him as you held your dress in your hands and continued running down the street. You didn’t hear his footsteps behind you, which made you feel both relieved and heartbroken. Relieved because you wanted to be alone right now; heartbroken because part of you hoped that he would come after you. Seeing a bench in front of a stone wall, you sat down and gave yourself a chance to catch your breath. Tears pricked in your eyes as you slowly came to the realization that you may have just ruined everything. True, you wanted to not feel protected and supervised all the time. But no one made you feel more free and wild than Jacob did, and now you just told him to stay away from you. A few tears fell down your cheeks as you looked up into the cloudy night sky. You wanted to be free, but now you just felt alone. Thinking back to the argument, you finally realized exactly why you were angry at him.

You envied him.

You were jealous of the fact that he could go wherever he pleased and do whatever he wanted. There was no one to supervise him or tell him what to do or how to dress or how to behave in public. He was truly free. He had something that you could only dream of, and you felt a small piece of that something whenever you were around him. But now it was all over; you had ruined it all. Now you had nothing but your old and boring life that will be forever wasted. You’ll end up as some spoiled rich man’s trophy wife and forever be forced to live in a world where someone is always watching everything that you do. You will never be able to make a decision or do anything for yourself. The only hope you had of a small escape, you just pushed away.

A choked sob escaped you as your turned your gaze to your lap and gripped the fabric of your dress. Now, more than ever, you wished that he was there with you. You wanted him by your side.

As you allowed more tears to slide down your face, you felt a gentle hand on your shoulder. On instinct, you jumped and turned your head to see who it was, only to let out a cry of relief.

“Jacob!”

You wiped your face diligently with the back of your hand before looking up at him again. He had a sad look on his face that was also laced with concern.

“Is that seat next to you taken?”

You stared up at him for a moment before quickly nodding your head and sliding over to make room for him. The second he sat down, you were curled up against his side with your hands gripped into the rough fabric of his waistcoat and your face buried in his chest. He stiffened for a moment before wrapping his arms around you and holding you tightly. As you breathed in his scent, you allowed yourself to calm down. He was here, he was with you. It was all going to be alright.

“Still angry with me?” he asked quietly as he slowly began rubbing your back.

You only shook your head and nuzzled deeper into his chest. He hugged you even tighter before pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“Talk to me, darling.”

What was it about his voice that just made everything feel better? You couldn’t put a finger on it but it just made you want to relax into him. Deciding to do just that, you adjusted yourself so that your ear was against his heart before speaking.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…I just…I’m sick of feeling weak and controlled…”

He said nothing at first. He only pressed another kiss to the top of your head before twirling a strand of your hair around his finger. After a moment, you looked up at him and he appeared to be contemplating something. When he finally did speak, the words he uttered almost made your jaw drop.

“Run away with me.”

You stared at him blankly and went over the words he said in your head over and over again to make sure you heard correctly. Was he…serious?

“What…? What are you saying…?”

He smiled warmly at you and kissed your forehead before caressing your cheek with his hand. A feeling of hope and excitement filled you as you anxiously waited for him to speak again,

“Exactly that. Run away with me. I’ll teach you everything you need to know to live your own life. You won’t ever have to answer to anyone again. You’ll be your own woman. No one telling you what to do or where you can’t go. You’ll be free, and you’ll be with me. How does that sound?”

Run away with him? Completely abandon your life that you’ve lived thus far? You would be sacrificing a lot…but the reward…it was too tempting to refuse. Living free with the love of your life, outside the rules of society; outside the rules of anyone. It was something you had only dreamed about until now. But now it was right in front of you, and you couldn’t let it slip away. You wouldn’t.

“Take me away, Jacob Frye.” You whispered before pressing a passionate kiss to his lips.

He kissed back just as passionately before scooping you up in his arms and carrying you off the bench and out of the park.

“Let’s go home.”


	3. Welcome to the Rooks

A huge smile was etched permanently on your face as you looked in the mirror at the outfit you were wearing. You couldn’t help but keep fidgeting and twirling around so that you could see every detail and angle. Never in your life had you loved a set of clothing so much. You had to admit, you did feel a little self conscious. It was nothing like you had every worn in your life,  but after today you were convinced that you would never wear anything else again; at least for the time being. Looking back you almost felt a little silly, you haven’t showed any excitement for clothing since you were a little girl. But it was the childlike giddiness that you were feeling that only intensified your happiness.

A deep chuckle from behind you interrupted your thoughts and you quickly turned around only to be met with Jacob leaning against the doorway with a smug look on his face.

“I take it the clothes are to your liking, my lady?” he teased playfully as he let out a few more chuckles.

A few months ago, him teasing you like this would have embarrassed you and made you nervous, but you had grown much more comfortable around him and have gotten all but immune to his teasing. Or so you would like to think.  
  


“It’s perfect! Thank you so much, Jacob!”

Without giving him any warning, you quickly ran up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. He let out a quiet ‘oof’ at the contact but quickly returned the hug and pressed a soft kiss to your hair.

“Glad I could be of assistance.” He chuckled as he ran his fingers through your hair.

Part of you still couldn’t believe this was real. When Jacob promised you your own life and the freedom that you were desperately wishing for, you didn’t fully believe that it was possible. Yet here you were, learning step by step just what it meant to live free of societal standards.

“I still can’t believe how comfortable they are. I can move so easily!” You yelled happily before pulling back away from him and taking a few more twirls around, relishing in the freedom that you now had. Never in your life had your legs had this much mobility.

“Yes, I have to say trousers suit you quite well.”

You could tell he was amused by the way you were acting, but you didn’t care. You were just so relieved to finally have a taste of what it felt like to not have to live up to a set of expectations every single day. You were breaking every single rule that you were brought up against, and you loved every second of it. Just the simple act of wearing trousers would have been enough to get your knuckles cracked by your governess, but now it felt so natural. And you were intent on never wearing a heavy frilly dress ever again.   Looking back over to him, you flashed him a smile walking back over and giving him another hug.

“Thank you, Jacob. For everything.”

You don’t think he knew just how much you meant those words. In many ways, he saved you from being doomed to a life of submission and constant perfection. You were your own woman now, though you didn’t mind also being Jacob’s woman. You heard him sigh contently before you felt his arms wrap around your frame once again. Instinctively, you relaxed against his chest and just enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms.

“I should be the one thanking you, (Y/N). You’re the one that left everything for me. Truly, I am eternally grateful to you.”

You could only smile at his words before pulling back slightly and tilting your head up so that you could press a kiss to his jaw. These past months that you’ve spent with him have been the happiest you’ve ever been in your life. It took a little while getting used to, living on a train of all places with Jacob and a bunch of his Rooks, as well as his sister, Evie. Jacob had told you a long time ago that he had a twin sister but you were nothing but surprised when you first met her. The two of you kicked off great from the beginning. She was so welcoming and helped you adjust to your new life. She even thanked you for keeping her brother in line. In truth, you enjoyed her company quite a lot and even looked up to her. You found her to be inspiring, a woman around your age refusing to live by the laws of society and choosing to live as she see fit, to you it was truly admirable.

“So what’s on the agenda today, Jacob?” you asked eagerly.

He looked up for a moment as if contemplating something before looking back down at you with a smile on his face.

“Today I figured we would take a little trip to one of the more lively gambling dens in Whitechapel tonight. Tell me, how are you at Wist?”

Gambling dens? That had always been something that your parents always spoke poorly of. It was an activity that only the lower classes and the untrustworthy entertained themselves with. But what did you care? You were no longer a member of high society so what objections could you possibly have?

“Don’t listen to him, (Y/N)!” a voice came from the next cart over.

Evie opened the door to the cart and stepped in before playfully nudging her brother.

“I take it he never told you about what happened the last time he played Wist in a gambling den?” She smirked before leaning against the wall.

At the mention of this, Jacob’s expression seemed to turn worried and he looked down at the ground nervously before looking at you as if trying to say “I can explain”. However, you were very interested.

“No, Evie. I haven’t heard this story.” You said sweetly as you leaned against the wall next to her, eager to hear the tale. This seemed to only add to the devious smirk that was currently sitting on Evie’s face.

“Well, he lost. And instead of paying up, he made it so that both them and their carriage both ended up in the river.”

You looked at Jacob with a horrified look on your face. Surely, he didn’t kill a bunch of people simply for beating him in a card game. After a moment, he nervously put his hands up.

“It was a shallow river, I swear! And they all lived.” He assured you, his face an embarrassing shade of red.

When you heard that, you couldn’t help but chuckle. That sounded much more like Jacob.

“Well then, perhaps it’s not a good idea to let you anywhere near a gambling den.” You said sweetly before standing on your toes to peck his cheek.

Jacob let out a disappointed whine before turning his head to kiss your lips. You were only more than happy to kiss him back. After a moment, you heard Evie clear her throat behind you, causing you to pull away and blush in embarrassment.

“Perhaps you two could just go over to the bar cart. I don’t think (Y/N) has seen it yet.” She said smugly before turning around to return to her own cart. You were about to call after her to ask for more stories but Jacob gently grabbed your jaw and turned you around for another kiss. This kiss was more intense than the ones you had previously shared, surely you had noticed that recently his kisses were becoming more and more passionate, not that you were complaining.

After a moment, you pulled away and looked at him with an excited look on your face. As content as you were to spend the whole day with him here, you wanted to check out the bar cart. Up until now you had only visited pubs with Jacob, you haven’t seen the bar on the train yet. Whenever you and your family traveled by train, the bar cart was always absolutely forbidden to you. Your father had always told you that the bar carts on trains were frequented by no one but scoundrels, bums, and criminals. And after spending all this time with Jacob and the crowd he frequented, the latter may not have been very far from the truth.

“Can we, please? I want to see what an actual bar cart looks like.” You asked eagerly, making sure to throw in a playful bat of your eyelashes and a gentle smile for added effect, knowing it would get the desired reaction out of him.

Sure enough, he smirked before sighing in amusement and kissing the tip of your nose.

“Yes darling, I’ll take you to see the bar cart.” He replied with false annoyance as if he was talking to a small child. If he would have said something like that a few months ago, you would’ve gotten angry at him. However, you had grown used to and even come to enjoy his sense of humor. And you knew he didn’t mean anything malicious by it anyway.

You giggled with excitement at his answer and smiled even wider when he offered you his arm like the gentleman he was. Well, like the gentleman he _occasionally_ was. Arm in arm, he lead you out of his cart and continued down the train for a few more carts until you came to a cart that was filled with Rooks and smelled putridly of sweat and liquor. It smelled just like a pub, except in a much more confined space. It was almost overwhelming.

One Rook ran the bar while the rest occupied themselves with merrymaking and card games, though every single one of them looked as if they had had at least a few pints. You had drank some alcohol during your time with Jacob, but you were always careful to not drink to much. Whenever you started feeling a little dizzy, you knew that you had had enough and Jacob more than understood. However, this time you were feeling a little more adventurous.

“I understand if you want to go somewhere else.” Jacob whispered to you as he pulled you slightly closer to him.

You merely patted his arm and smiled up at him before leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Actually I was just thinking about what drink to order.” You replied cheekily.

Your answered seemed to have surprised him. He raised an eyebrow at you before studying your face carefully for a moment and then finally letting out a small smile. After a nod of his head, he walked over with you to the bar and pulled out a stool for you before sitting down next to you and ordering himself a pint. You ordered yourself one as well and continued looking around the cart at all the Rooks when something got your attention.

“Oi! It’s da’ lass dat Jacob’s always goin’ on abou’!”

You turned your head quickly to see a bunch of Rooks at a table in the middle of the cart holding sets of cards and waving at you. You smiled politely before waving back at them.

“I say boss, you really scored big wit’ ‘er!” Another one called causing you to blush madly and Jacob to shoot him a threatening glare. The

The room full of Rooks erupted into laughter as you tried to hide the blush on your cheeks. However, another call form one of the female Rooks captured you from your thoughts.

“Why don’tcha play a few rounds wit’ us!”

Play a few rounds with them? Part of you wanted to decline, you hadn’t played cards with anyone but Jacob and Evie yet, and while these were gangsters that were on your side, they were still gangsters and you didn’t want to make a fool of yourself. However, a bigger part of you was still feeling adventurous and wanted to experience it for yourself. You nodded and hopped out of your stool before pulling up a chair at their table.

After explaining the game to you and dealing you out a set of cards, the game began. It was a simple game of poker, except that instead of playing with chips the Rooks bet with drinks as well as money. Whoever had the lowest hand had to take a swig and whoever could hold down their liquor the best would win the pot of money at the end of the game. You started out very well, with a few good hands and only having to take a few swigs. But soon, you felt yourself getting dizzy.

You tried to hide it as best as you could, but you were determined to prove yourself. However, after one bad hand, you were forced to take yet another swig and then knew no more…

When you woke up, you were lying on the couch with a blanket over you. Your head was killing you and your stomach felt like it never wanted to see food again. As you tried to remember what happened the night before, your head started hurting even more and your stomach started churning. Quickly, you looked for something that you could empty your stomach in. Thankfully, there was a waste basket right next to the couch so you didn’t vomit all over the floor. As whatever you had last night came up, a gentle hand began rubbing your back.

“How are you feeling, love?” Jacob asked softly as if he knew that your brain couldn’t tolerate anything loud right now. It took you a few moments before you were able to answer him.

“What…? What happened last night..?” you finally managed to get out before Jacob handed you a glass of water to rinse out your mouth.

He continued rubbing your back as he allowed you to lean against him; giving you a moment to compose yourself before he answered you.

“Well…let’s just say that the lads have accepted you as one of their own.” He said simply before slowly scooping you up and placing you back on the couch.

You tried to remember anything that happened last night but whenever you tried, it only made your head hurt more. Finally, a piece came back to your memory.

“Did I…did I lose the game?” you asked carefully, almost not wanting to know the answer.

Surprisingly, Jacob began chuckling to himself and tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear before pouring you another glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside table.

“Actually love, you won. But you insisted on going for another round, and on that game you lost.” He explained before placing the glass on the table for when you would no doubtly need it eventually.

“I…what?” you asked confused. You should have really been horrified at yourself at not only getting drunk, but getting so drunk that you were this sick the next day. However, the pain in your head and your stomach made you really indifferent to anything else at the moment. You were sure you would find out what happened from Evie or one of the other Rooks at some point within the next few days.

He looked at you lovingly before stroking your hair and leaning down to kiss your forehead.

“Try not to think right now, darling. Believe me, it will only make it worse. For now, just get some rest.” He whispered before pulling the blanket back over you and standing back up to which you quickly grabbed his hand.

“Stay?” you whispered, not really wanting to be alone.

He looked at you for a moment before nodding and slinging on the couch with you. His face was expressionless and you were about to ask him what was wrong until he reached over to a drawer on his bedside table and pulled out a Rook jacket.

“May I?”

You smiled widely as he spread the jacket out over the blanket that covered you. You rested your head on his chest and closed your eyes before you felt him press a kiss to the top of your head.

“Welcome to the Rooks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the latest request of the series I may continue adding more if more people request it. Honestly I feel really self conscious about this piece. Because it originally wasn't written as a chapter series, it was supposed to be a series of oneshots and therefore the character development and the relationship building is absolutely terrible for a chapter series. It's kind of funny considering that the original request for the first one shot was kept in my drafts for so long because I kept putting it off and I was convinced when I finally did write it that it would be terrible. But in the end it turned out to be one of my most popular fanfictions. So I guess for the mean time I'll stick with it. If you want to request more just leave comment here or send me a message via tumblr. My username is idiotgangleader (same as here)


End file.
